H1 organic growth of 4.1%Power Brands spearheading growthMargin guidance upgrade boosts stockAnother quarter of improving volumes, positive progress with its cost-cutting drive and a massive upgrade to full year margin guidance were key reasons why consumer goods goliath Unilever (ULVR) led the FTSE 100 higher today.The planned sale of its ice cream division, which could fetch as much of £15 bill

Since we emerged from the pandemic, people's spending have shifted from stuff to experiences with holidays particularly prized by those with the means to afford them.Airlines and travel operators enjoyed bumper demand as people were desperate to get away for a week in the sun, having been denied the opportunity during lockdown, and had money to spend. This enabled the industry to pass increased co

As fund management legend and Vanguard founder John Bogle once noted: 'The stock market is a giant distraction from the business of investing. In the long run, investing is about the returns earned by businesses not the stock market.' In other words, sentiment may drive prices in the near term but in the end it is profits and cash flows which drive valuation.From the point of view of investors wi

Whatever the occasion, audience, or setting, I'm always asked the same question: how have I balanced being a mother of nine with a big City career?Looking back, especially over those years when my children were very young, it's hard to fathom it myself ? but certain things have helped, both practically and emotionally. I hope that some of those lessons learned might be of help to other mothers ? a

Stock prices in London were lower at midday Friday, as investors grappled with a large IT outage on a global scale that affected a plethora of businesses and trade.Companies around the world reported technical issues, with planes grounded, trains disrupted, and television and radio broadcasters taken offline, while Microsoft Corp said it was taking mitigating actions after service issues.As AJ Bel

Gloomy start to summer spendingJune volumes worse than fearedPoor showing from weather-sensitive categoriesRetail sales fell in June as colder-than-average weather conditions and election uncertainty dampened consumer spending, with sales across department stores and clothing categories faring especially poorly.Last month's disappointing sales decline came despite hopes of a boost from above-infla

I am 72 and retired. I am aware that if I die after my 75th birthday my Pension Pot would be taxed as income by my beneficiaries (wife and children).As this would no doubt incur some 40% liability, would it make sense to draw from the SIPP up to my 20% income tax limit in the next 3 years rather than use other savings such as ISA's to live off?I have every intention of spending enough not to fall

London's FTSE 100 shook off a stronger pound and a robust UK services inflation reading to register its first rise of the week on Wednesday, as investors also digested the latest King's speech, with new Prime Minister Keir Starmer getting his feet firmly under the table at Number 10.A stronger pound is usually a headwind for the international earner-heavy blue-chip index, though some share price r

Stock prices in London were mostly lower at midday Wednesday, with the FTSE 100 mildly in the green as annual consumer price inflation remained flat in June, while services inflation was viewed as too high for comfort.Meanwhile, in political news, Labour presented a 'packed' legislative agenda in the annual King's Speech, focused on improving living standards by driving economic growth, the first

Q2 sales beat forecastsFull year profit to hit €1 billionSamba and Gazelle shoes popularShares in Adidas' (ADS:ETR) skipped 4.4% higher to €239 in Frankfurt after the world's second-biggest sportswear manufacturer upgraded its full year guidance for the second time this year.Hoping for a demand boost from the upcoming Olympic Games in Paris, the athletic apparel company hiked its 2024 fo

Stocks in Europe were mostly lower on Wednesday morning, ahead of a eurozone consumer price inflation reading and the King's Speech.The FTSE 100 index opened down 10.32 points, or 0.1%, at 8,155.17. The FTSE 250 was down 55.59 points, or 0.3%, at 21,159.81, and the AIM All-Share was up 0.71 points, or 0.1%, at 787.79.The Cboe UK 100 was down 0.2% at 813.97, the Cboe UK 250 was down 0.1% at 18,451.

European markets remained downbeat on Tuesday around midday, as the prospect of a second Trump term and signs of economic weakness from China weighed on sentiment.The FTSE 100 index was down 22.59 points, 0.3%, at 8,160.37.In European equities, the CAC 40 in Paris was down 0.7%, while the DAX 40 in Frankfurt was down 0.4%.In the FTSE 100, Rio Tinto fell 3.3%.The miner said iron ore production in t

European share prices started lower on Tuesday, after a positive close in New York led into a mixed performance for Asian stock markets.On Wall Street, the Dow Jones Industrial Average closed up 0.5% on Monday, the S&P 500 up 0.3%, and the Nasdaq Composite up 0.4%.Positive bank earnings gave the market a boost, and US investors also took confidence from a further indication from the US Federal Res

London's FTSE 100 index dropped on Monday, as poor Chinese economic data weighed on mining stocks, and shares in luxury fashion house Burberry tumbled.The FTSE 100 index ended down 69.95 points, 0.9%, at 8,182.96. The FTSE 250 closed down 13.37 points, 0.1%, at 21,189.52, and the AIM All-Share edged down 0.69 of a point, 0.1%, at 785.48.The Cboe UK 100 ended down 0.9% at 816.46, the Cboe UK 250 fe

Stock prices in Europe were in the red midday Monday, after markets reacted relatively calmly to the attempted assassination of Donald Trump.The FTSE 100 index in London was dragged down by Burberry, after it announced a profit warning.The FTSE 100 index was down 15.32 points, 0.2%, at 8,237.59. The FTSE 250 was down 11.00 points, 0.1%, at 21,191.89, and the AIM All-Share was down 0.72 of a point,

Progress made with growth strategyFull year pre-tax profit up 43%Over the past year shares have gained 16%Shares in Jet2 (JET2:AIM) were up over 1% in morning trading at £13.08 as the airline and package holidays provider reported a 43% jump in pre-tax profit to £529.5 million for the year ending 31 March 2024.Total revenue was up 24% to £6.25 billion compared to £5.03 billion last year.The ai

New delivery hub will go live in 2027Relief rally after bad news on CanadaOcado shares down 53% year-to-dateShares in Ocado (OCDO) were up nearly 6% to 346p as the online grocery retailer said it planned to build a third CFC (customer fulfilment centre) in Kuki-Miyashiro prefecture in Japan.The new CFC will go live in 2027 and will be developed with hypermarket group AEON (8267:TYO). SIGN O

Stock prices in London were mildly up after no block in France secured a majority, with the left-wing New Popular Front beating the far right.Amongst individual stocks, Britvic got a boost, after it backed a £3.3 billion takeover offer from Carlsberg.The FTSE 100 index opened up just 1.20 points at 8,205.13. The FTSE 250 was up 36.32 points, 0.2%, at 20,822.97, and the AIM All-Share was up 0.03 o

THIS IS AN ADVERTISING FEATURE Charles Luke, Investment Manager, Murray Income Trust PLCRetirement is getting longer, and retirees have more ambitions for their later yearsA longer retirement means greater risks from inflationA well-constructed stock market portfolio can be the key ingredient to preserve wealthMany people in their sixties today can expect to enjoy 20 years or more in retirement.

If you're thinking about using property to fund your retirement, you wouldn't be the first. The post-financial crisis boom in house prices, propelled by low interest rates and government support schemes, led many budding property tycoons towards investing in buy-to-let instead of saving in a pension.For many, that gamble probably paid off, thanks to the long period when mortgages were super cheap,